Lifelong weekly paper reporter who had a street named after him

Tuesday 17 August 2010 03.29 EDT
First published on Tuesday 17 August 2010 03.29 EDT

Harry Bremner, who has died aged 78, was a reporter of the old school. He spent his whole working life at one weekly paper, knew everything about his local patch and was respected by the people he wrote about, even when being critical.

Such was his renown that, before his retirement from The Northern Scot in Elgin, Moray, in 1996, the local council named a street after him – Bremner Drive in Bishopmill.

Bremner left school at 14, spent a year learning shorthand at a commercial college and then became a trainee reporter at The Scot in 1947. He went on to become sports editor and local government correspondent.

Former editor Pauline Taylor, who worked with him for more than 20 years, said Bremner had a talent for writing concisely and accurately, and a natural nose for news.

"Harry's shorthand speed was phenomenal, and so was his knowledge of Moray – he was a walking reference book: he knew everyone and everything about the area. 'Ask Harry' was an oft-used phrase in the office, even after he retired."

Bremner is also credited with having nurtured and trained a succession of young reporters, including some who went on to make their names in the national media.

Taylor said: "As a young man he fed numerous scoops to the national press and was courted by Fleet Street, but he was a Bishopmill loon born and bred and the promise of fame and fortune couldn't tempt him away."